Be Yourself, Minako!
by Rei Wednesday
Summary: Minako tries to be someone she's not. . .can she ever become true to herself?


Disclaimer! I (sadly) do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon or any of the characters -- although I'm convinced that I'm Sailor Mars. . .but I don't really think that counts ^.^' I hope you enjoy my fanfiction! R&R please.  
  
*Minako slouches on her couch, stuffing her face with potato chips, watching TV, reading the newest Sailor V manga, and talking through the communicator with Ami all at the same time! She truly is talented ^.~*  
  
Minako: *To Ami* So you went to the computer convention yesterday, eh?  
  
Ami: Yes. There were a lot of college students there. I felt somewhat out of place.  
  
Minako: Any guys? Did you talk to them?  
  
Ami: Welllll, I did make friends with one guy. . . *she trails off*  
  
Minako: *forgetting her chips in her excitment, they spill off her lap as she jerks herself around, trying to see Ami's expression on the communicator. Her manga tumbles to the floor, and she sits on the "power" button on the television remote. All is suddenly quiet* Was he hot?!  
  
*Ami doesn't speak and hides her lovely face from view, but Minako knows what the answer is by sighting the tips of Ami's blue hair grow reddish tints. When Ami blushes, she sure does blush! =P *  
  
Minako: He was! And you're blushing! I can tell!  
  
Ami: *sweatdrops, and quickly says* I have to study for an exam tomorrow, Minako. You should too. Wasn't the grade you got on your last exam a 34?!  
  
*Minako grumbles and switches the communicator off, knowing that she wouldn't be able to get Ami to talk about the guys anymore*  
  
Minako: *to herself* How can Ami switch subjects so quickly? One second it's about a total hottie she met yesterday, the next, exam scores. *she sighs and says determidly to herself* Well, if hot college guys like computer techies, I'll just be a computer techie!  
  
*She slumps off the couch to her bed to await dreams about hot college guys, and not exam scores*  
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THE NEXT MORNING  
  
*The alarm clock rings annoyingly time after time after time before lazy Minako finally raises her head to look at the clock*  
  
Minako: 8:45?! THIS CAN'T BE! *muttering to herself* This is what I get for letting Artemis sleep over Usagi's house ~.~  
  
*Minako hops out of bed and runs through all of her "morning duties", then runs out the door and into the school yard. She just makes it into homeroom before the late bell rings. Minako sighs, and lays her head down on her desk, resting it in a pillow of her long, soft blonde hair*  
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AFTER SCHOOL  
  
*Minako meets the regular gang at the coffee shope above the Crown Arcade. She joins them at their regular table*  
  
Minako: *To Ami* Hey Ami, where do you think I could get a computer on sale?  
  
Ami: *puzzled* Well, uh. . .you could try Electronics 4 All. They have some really nice computers.  
  
Minako: *scribbling down the name of the store and the address on paper as Ami gives it to her* Thanks!  
  
*All the girls look puzzled -- Minako is the LAST one they would expect to be looking for a computer, but they carry on with their conversation. It soon comes to Usagi and Minako's always being late for school!*  
  
Rei: *teasingly* No one wants a lazy Scout to rescue them.  
  
Minako: *defending herself and Usagi* Well, what time do you get up, Ms. Meanie?  
  
Usagi: *catching onto Minako's plan* Yeah, Rei!  
  
Rei: *with a wave of her hand* 4 am, maybe earlier. It depends on my mood.  
  
*Usagi and Minako's mouths drop open in amazment*  
  
Minako: *stuttering, she's so shocked* B. . .bu. . .but, why?!  
  
Rei: *answering simply* Meditation, of course. I need to meditate and getting up at 8:30 each morning won't help me a bit.  
  
*A couple hot guys pass outside the window and stop to point and talk about Rei among themselves. Rei smiles flirtatiously, even though she doesn't trust men, as she says, "Why waste your flirting technique?".*  
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AFTER COFEE WITH THE GANG  
  
*Minako stops outside of Electronics 4 All. They really did have low prices on computers. Minako picked out a lap-top, thinking how chic it would make her look to the cute cashier at the desk. She flirted like mad, and later she decided that he at least SEEMED interested in her. She brought the computer home, "Thank goodness Mom is out of town!," she thought. She told herself to get up earlier the next morning -- she had concluded that Rei always looked so good because "How much time can meditation take?". She would get up early and have a couple hours to make herself look attractive to the opposite sex. She then slunk off to bed, feeling tired by just imagining getting up that early*  
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THE NEXT DAY  
  
*Minako got up when she first heard her annoying alarm clock the next morning. It was 7am. "Good," she thought, "Plenty of time to raid Mom's make-up cabinet." She slinks quietly down the hall, careful not to wake Artemis who, asleep on the living room couch, had gotten home from Usagi's ::cough-cough-Luna's:: late last night.*  
  
Minako: *browsing through her mom's various make-up selections* Whoa. What does she use all this for?! She doesn't look younger. . .as a matter-of-fact, her wrinkles are showing! *Minako grimaces at the thought of wrinkles sprouting up on her pretty face* Hmm. . .I wonder how I'd look with this on. . . *she takes some make-up over to the bathroom adjoining her room. When she comes out, and hour later, she looks older and more sophisticated. She goes over to the wrinkle-free school uniform spread out on her bed.* Damn uniform. . . *Minako sighs and puts the uniform on, then heads out into the kitchen. The new computer catches her eye and she resolves to go straight home that day to install it instead of going to the coffee shop. She notices the time and her eyes widen* O.O I'd better get a move on if I wanna be at school early to show off my new look! *Minako grabs her lunchbox and other school items and heads out the door*  
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AFTER SCHOOL  
  
*After she got out of school, Minako hurried home to set up her computer. "Today was fun, with all the compliments and what-not," she thought, "but tomorrow will absolutely rock if I can brag to everyone about my new computer!". After a while, Minako had finally set up her computer. . .a LONG while. . .*  
  
Phone: *RING RING RING*  
  
Minako: *runs down the hall and grabs the phone just in time. In a breathless voice, she says* Hello?  
  
Makoto: Hey Minako! It's Makoto! I was just wondering if you were okay. We missed ya at the coffee shop today.  
  
Minako: *still a bit out of breath* Y. . yeah, I was setting *pant* up my. . .computer *pant*  
  
Makoto: Man Minako, you sound like you just ran a 1 mile race!  
  
Minako: *sheepishly* Noo. . .Just ran down the hall *sweatdrop*  
  
Makoto: *giggly* You sound like you could use some exercise. I know some techies that just sit at their computers all day.  
  
Minako: Well, um, Mako, I don't really think I need -  
  
Makoto: *cutting Minako off* Nonsense! Meet me at the park in an hour! No one likes a fat Scout! Especially not boys. *she giggles and hangs up*  
  
Minako: *sighing, hangs up too.* "No one likes a fat Scout. . ." heh. Well. . . *Minako remembers all the boys who go after the skinny girls at school* It can't hurt to try excersising. . . *she sighs again and walks slowly to her room to get ready to go to the park*  
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IN HER ROOM  
  
Minako: *staring at the outfits in her closet with a look of disgust on her face, she concludes* I SERIOUSLY need a new wardrobe *she holds up part of a drab cardigan on a hanger* Ewwww. . .Maybe I'll have time to go shopping before meeting Makoto. . .  
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15 MINUTES LATER, AT THE MALL  
  
Minako: Thanks SO much, Usagi, I knew I could count on you to help me with my shopping!  
  
Usagi: No problem Minako.   
  
*Minako smiles at her friend, and Usagi smiles back*  
  
Minako: *glancing at the clock, groans* Oh no! I'm going to be late! Thanks again, Usagi! *she runs out of the mall in her new excercise outfit*  
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AT THE PARK  
  
Minako: *panting and sweating "like a hog"* Mako. . .chan. . .wait. . .up! *gasp pant pant*  
  
Makoto: *jogging along the track cheerily* I was right Minako! You do need excercise! ^.^  
  
Minako: *groans and stops walking, gulping down water from her new flask* I can't go on any farther!  
  
Makoto: *frowning* But, Mina-chan, we haven't even circled the track once  
  
Minako: *shaking her head* I don't. . .care. . . *starts walking back home*  
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AT HER APARTMENT  
  
*Minako climbs the stairs slowly and painfully, then flops down on the couch as soon as she enters her apartment. She falls asleep. A few hours later, she gets on the computer and becomes absorbed in a chat room. She gets off and goes to sleep. Since it is the weekend, that is what she does for Saturday and Sunday. Finally, she realizes she is unhappy with her new life*  
  
Minako: *sitting at the computer, about to turn it on* Wait. . .I don't really like that chatroom. . .or this computer. . .or the yoga I make myself do after I get up at 6 am without getting enough sleep. Curling my hair and putting on make-up takes too much time. . .*then it hits her* I'm trying to be everyone I'm not! Computer like Ami, Make-up like Rei, new wardrobe like Usagi, yoga like Makoto. . .Next I'll be acting like Mamoru! *she groans in recognition of what she had been doing* I should try to be myself. *she stands up with a sudden burst of enthusiasm* I am Sailor V aka Sailor Venus or Aino Minako! High school student at Crossroads! I will be myself!  
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THE NEXT DAY  
  
*It is the afternoon/evening, and all the girls minus Minako are sitting around their regular table at the coffee shoppe.*  
  
Rei: "Hmmm. . .I haven't seen Minako in a while. . .I hope the "new her" hasn't gotten to her head. . .heh"  
  
Ami: Yeah. . . *shakes her head, remembering Minako asking where to buy a cheap computer and sighs*  
  
*Minako rushes in, plopping down in a seat next to Usagi*  
  
Minako: *panting a bit* Sorry I'm late girls, I just had volleyball practice - *she pauses when she looks at the other girls shocked faces* Eh?  
  
Makoto: Where's your make-up?  
  
Usagi: And, didn't you quit the volleyball team. . .?  
  
Minako: *sweatdrop* Um. . .well. . .I've decided that it's best to be me. I've returned the computer, put the make-up back on my mom's shelf. . .I'm just going to be regular Aino Minako! *winks*  
  
Rei: That's our Venus ^.^  
  
*A cute boy passes by their table*  
  
Minako: *her eyes "glued" to the hottie* Whoo, would you look at him?! *gets up and runs after him* Hey! I'm Minako. . .!  
  
*All the other girls sweatdrop*  
  
Usagi: No, Rei, THAT'S *nodding her head in the direction of Minako chatting up a guy* is our Venus.  
  
*All laugh* 


End file.
